THE BOILER. 89 



damage to the engine. It always washes the oil from the 

 cylinder and valve, thereby causing the latter to squeak. The 

 lubricator or oil pump should be allowed to feed quite freely 

 after priming, or serious injury to the valve-gear may result 



Painting the Boiler. The greater part of the boiler can 

 be kept black and looking well by rubbing with oily waste 

 or rags. The front end of the boiler, around the smoke-box, 

 and the smoke-stack require painting from time to time to 

 prevent them from becoming rusty and unsightly. For this, 

 asphaltum or boiled linseed oil mixed with a little lamp 

 black, is suitable. The entire boiler may also be painted with 

 either of these when necessary. 



Cleaning the Boiler. No rule can be given as to the fre- 

 quency with which a boiler should be washed out. In some 

 localities it is necessary to clean it twice a week, while in 

 others, where the water is almost perfectly clean and pure, 

 once in six weeks is sufficient. In emptying the boiler pre- 

 paratory to cleaning, be sure that all of the fire is out, and 

 that the steam pressure is below ten pounds before opening 

 the blow-off valve. This is necessary, in order to prevent the 

 mud from becoming baked on the tubes and sheets. See that 

 the fire door, smoke-box door and drafts are all closed to pre- 

 vent the boiler from cooling too quickly. To clean the boiler, 

 remove the plugs or hand-hole plates in the water-leg and 

 also the one at the bottom of the front tube-sheet. Wash 

 the boiler thoroughly with a hose, using as much pressure 

 as possible. Most of the sediment will be found around the 

 "water-leg" and along the bottom of the barrel. 



